Teacher suspended 10 days for using N-word, telling kids they should not be dating ‘African-American boys’

Teacher suspended 10 days for using N-word, telling kids they should not be dating ‘African-American boys’

A middle school teacher in Florida accused of using the N-word in class and who allegedly told kids they “should not be dating all these different African-American boys because they are not worth it” was suspended for 10 days — but not fired.

David Swinyar of Kernan Middle School in Jacksonville will be reassigned to an “appropriate” district position and will not have contact with students for the remainder of the year, Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Patricia Willis told board members, according to First Coast News.

The teacher’s contract expires in June, so the school district could simply choose not to renew it, First Coast News reported.

Swinyar is also accused of calling his students dumb, according to Action News Jax.

He was at school as recently as Wednesday, but was not in a classroom, the school district told the station. His suspension began on Thursday.

“His mentality hasn’t changed because he was suspended,” a parent told First Coast News. “He spoke his mind, he spoke his truth and he didn’t think it was going to get out.”

A student told an investigator with the school board that Swinyar used the N-word while discussing relationships with children.

“If your boyfriend says bad things to you and/or treats you wrong, that means he’s acting like a n—–,” Swinyar said, according to a district investigative report obtained by CNN. “You all should not be dating all these different African-American boys because they are not worth it.”

In addition, Swinyar is also accused of telling a student, according to CNN: “If my daughter was dating someone who used the ‘f’ word, I wouldn’t have any respect for that n—–.”

After being confronted by a student, Swinyar said, “I would never say that, but if I did, I am sorry,” according to CNN.

Swinyar was also accused of “reviewing inappropriate material” in his classroom, but Principal Julie Hemphill wrote in a letter to parents that those allegations were not “substantiated,” according to Action News Jax.

Hemphill wrote that the district was able to confirm the allegations of “inappopriate” communication between Swinyar and his students. She said the school board approved a 10-day suspension without pay, a letter of reprimind to be placed in his file, as well as a “mandatary referral to the Employee Assistance Program.”

“As parents you are important to our success and should know that our greatest priority is the safety and education of all students,” Hemphill wrote, according to the station. “We take this very seriously and are committed to ensuring that we strongly enforce the Code of Ethics for all our educators.”